Major League Baseball

Oliver recalls another memorable Texas-SF matchup

Published Oct. 27, 2010 1:57 a.m. ET

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Long before Game 1 of this year's World Series, Texas reliever Darren Oliver took part in another memorable matchup between the Rangers and San Francisco Giants.

Oliver was the starting pitcher for the Rangers when they hosted the Giants on June 12, 1997, in baseball's first interleague game.

''At the time, it was kind of neat and special. ... It was unique at the time,'' Oliver said. ''Interleague has kind of faded over the years since it's been going on for so long. The first time, it was pretty special.''

Still, nowhere near as special for Oliver as playing in a World Series for the Rangers - a first for the 40-year-old reliever and the franchise in its 50th season.

Oliver re-signed with Texas last winter, his third stint with the organization that he began his career with in the low minors in 1988, five years before his major league debut. He was part of the Rangers' first playoff team in 1996.

The pitching rubber from the first interleague game is at Cooperstown, along with a few baseballs that Oliver signed.

Oliver was the losing pitcher in that game, allowing four runs and eight hits over 7 2-3 innings. He remembers giving up a leadoff hit to Daryl Hamilton, who previously had been his teammate in Texas.

''I was mad that I gave up a base hit to my buddy,'' Oliver said Tuesday with a smile.

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BATTLE OF BREVARD: Giants manager Bruce Bochy and Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle have a friendship that dates back to their time as American Legion teammates in Brevard County, Fla.

The two later competed against each other as players in the 1980s and as managers in the NL West for years when Hurdle was in Colorado.

Now one of them will get a World Series ring. Bochy lost as a manager with San Diego in 1998 and as a player with the Padres in '84. Hurdle also lost as a player in 1980 with Kansas City and a manager with the Rockies three years ago.

''Something has to give,'' Hurdle said. ''Somebody will get a ring.''

There's someone else from their local area with plenty of championship hardware, albeit from the NBA. Will Perdue won four titles with Chicago and San Antonio during his playing career.

''That's the best kept secret in Brevard County,'' Hurdle said.

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FIELDING VLAD: Vladimir Guerrero never put much thought into playing the outfield again - until the Texas Rangers started winning in the playoffs.

Now that the Rangers are in the World Series, the longtime star slugger starts in right field for Game 1 in San Francisco since the designated hitter isn't used in the National League city. It will be his first World Series appearance in his 15 major league seasons.

''I feel very glad to be here,'' Guerrero said Tuesday through a translator.

Asked about his emotions of being in the World Series for the first time, Guerrero said he didn't know how he would feel until the game starts Wednesday.

Guerrero played in 152 games this season, only 18 of them in the outfield. He played only two games in the field in 2009, during an injury-plagued season with the Los Angeles Angels.

''Vlad played right field for 14 years. He's not a slouch out there,'' manager Ron Washington said. ''When he came to Texas, he ended up being our DH because we wanted to keep him healthy. ... That wasn't a tough decision to make to put Vlad in right field.''

Washington said Guerrero might start both games in San Francisco. With Guerrero in right, Nelson Cruz moves to left and David Murphy will come off the bench.

Guerrero has played 1,608 career games in the field.

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EXTRA BUBBLY: The Texas Rangers may not have to look too hard for champagne in case they win the World Series at AT&T Park.

The San Diego Padres left San Francisco on the last day of the regular season without a playoff berth and without all the bubbly they had chilling in case they got to celebrate. Now there are some 135 bottles of Korbel waiting to be consumed - or sprayed - in the visiting clubhouse at the ballpark.

Will the Rangers get to use it for a World Series title? Perhaps.

Or it will be moved to the Giants side if they bring the city its first championship since moving West in 1958.

Visiting clubhouse manager Harvey Hodgerney gave some of the bottles away to his staff in appreciation of their hard work.

''It's the good stuff,'' Hodgerney said. ''I bought it and the Padres paid me back. Then they said to keep it. We'll give it to the Giants if they need it, from the visiting clubhouse staff.''

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HOOPS AND HOOPLA: The NBA's Golden State Warriors open their season Wednesday night against Houston and plan to mix World Series hoopla with the hoops.

The Warriors, who play across San Francisco Bay in Oakland, will open designated doors at Oracle Arena beginning at 4:45 p.m. so that fans can catch the first pitch of Game 1.

The baseball game will be shown throughout the arena, including on the video board during pregame and leading up to opening night festivities.

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AP Sports Writers Janie McCauley and Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

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